Moisture or water in various forms can penetrate around windows, doors and the like, and eventually travel beneath the window or door to accumulate in the interior wall or supporting framing for the window or door. Conventional window and door systems have used caulking, adhesives and/or flashing to prevent entry of water around the windows or doors. These prior methods have not been completely successful. Sealants are difficult to properly install, and further tend to separate from the wall component or wall due to climatic conditions, building movement, the surface type, or chemical reactions.
Flashing may also be difficult to install. In other examples, flashing does not provide a consistent drain path that facilitates transport of moisture away from the window or door and the surrounding framed opening. For instance, with some types of flashing debris (e.g., dirt, insects and the like) collects within portions of the flashing preventing adequate flow of moisture away from the window or door. In another example, the flashing cannot effectively handle the volume of water present around the window or door (e.g., during a storm). In still other examples, flashing systems include a plurality of pieces. Moisture may collect within the joints between pieces because of insufficient routing of the moisture away from the joints. The moisture may then penetrate into the interior wall around the window or door. In yet another example, moisture collects underneath the flashing (e.g., because of condensation) adjacent to the supporting framing and the flashing provides no means for the moisture to escape.
Accordingly, what is needed is a flashing system that effectively drains water away from a window or door assembly.